The Heart of Sam Tyler
by Sariah Six
Summary: UK vers. As Sam Tyler brinks on the verge of suicide, Annie tries to reach out to him and he pushes her away, determined her help is not necessary. When he is captured by a murderer, Sam must now rely on Annie, Gene and the gang to find him and his captor
1. The silver gleam

**The Heart of Sam Tyler- Sariah Six**

**Chapter one: The silver gleam**

It was past 11:00pm, DI Sam Tyler was slung over his bed, one hand loosely dangling off the edge, His fingers idly played with the neck of a empty bottle of Shiraz from the night before. His eyes were wide and vacant, staring straight ahead as though through the wall. The TV was off, the lights were off but a small patch of light from a lone street lamp outside stretched its way inside, outlining the features in the room.

He wanted to talk to someone. He could see the phone from here, but to whom? He had given up on the future for tonight, flickered around the TV for at least an hour before accepting no one was there to talk to him. It was getting more and more like that lately. He felt more and more isolated and alone than he ever had. He felt more depressed.

_I could call Annie_, he thought_. She might even be just across the hall_. Annie was back with her ex boyfriend, Neil, who happened to live across the hall from Sam's flat. The thought of Annie directly opposite him with that…. that creep made Sam's heart rate increase ever so slightly.

His eyes were drawn to the silvery glare from across the room. The object sat innocently on his kitchen table, reflecting the light so a thousand silver lights were thrown around the room. The knife.

He sat up out of bed, his head throbbing with the sudden movement. Emotion suddenly overcame him, it was bellowing from deep inside him, ready to spill out. It was overwhelming. He swallowed hard, trying to compose himself but it was too much. His head almost fell into his hands. His shoulders shook slightly with every silent sob. Then, almost as quick as the emotion came, it was gone. He exhaled loudly and ran his fingers through his hair. He glanced again at the knife on the counter.

--

--

--

"Would you just leave it?… Leave it… LEAVE it!"

Annie halted her step and sighed. She went to turn and face him, to finish the argument, to apologise to her boyfriend, Neil who was in a fit of frenzy.

His voice seemed to echo and reverberate in Annie's mind. He didn't turn to face her.

"I'm just taking out the garbage," she calmly said.

Her face showed a completely calm and collected woman, dressed in her dressing robe, slippers and clutching a small bag of trash. Inside, she was in a rage. She felt like an animal, caged in, not understanding or comprehending what it was her trainer was asking her to do.

"I don't want you to take the trash out" Neil spat. "I know what you're doing"

Annie sighed. " Well, can you please fill me in then? Because I don't even know what I'm doing"

Neil made an attempt to grab the bag out of her hand but she was too quick for him, and pulled it out of his reach. This angered him further, he tore off his glasses and began to furiously clean them with his pyjamas.

"By taking the trash out now, this late at night, you are implying either that I don't take care of my house and keep it neat and tidy. Or, and this is the most probable option, you are making me out to be a misogynist bastard, making me believe that you are a woman therefore meant to take out the trash as one of your duties"

Annie was dumbstruck. "That is ridiculous. This fight is ridiculous"

"We've been back together what, a week now? And you're taking out my garbage?" Neil retorted

Annie threw her hands up in the air "I'm tryin to help you out here. I didn't mean any offence"

Neil seemed to think the argument had finished. With another suspicious glare, he turned from her and promptly walked to his bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

Annie grudgingly started for the door, her blue slippers soft and cosy on her feet.

She had always believed they were a match made in heaven. Him, a well respected psychiatrist and her, a DC at the Manchester police station. They had met in college, and from the second they collaborated on that first assignment together, Annie was attracted to this man, who had a gift of being able to look into human behaviour and draw conclusions about how peoples true intentions, what they really thought and behaved.

Of course, it was a cute little trick but with Annie, ironically, Neil was always way off.

He never got her to a point. Maybe that's why Annie liked him so much. Neil was never able to pigeonhole her, never quite figure her out.

Annie opened the garbage chute, holding her breath as she shoved Neil's garbage bag in before closing it softly. Something moved at the corner of her eye and her police training kicked in. She spun around immediately. The fire door at the other end of the hall was falling closed. Someone was walking up the stairs to the roof. She could hear light footsteps.

Curiosity got the better of her. Wondering what could possibly be interesting enough on the roof in this below freezing weather at this time of night probed her detective interests. She eased the door of the stairway open and began to climb the stairs, one blue slipper in front of the other.

--


	2. Idle Playthings

**Chapter 2: Idle Playthings**

Annie breathed a sigh of relief as the cold air hit her face. The chill was comforting, refreshing. It ran through her hair tickling her, making her skin stand on end.

She felt like a cigarette. _How nice would that go down now after that stupid fight_ she mused. But Sam had convinced her to quit, and she was sticking by her decision. It had almost been 2 weeks without one.

Sam…the mention of his name was followed with a rush of memories and a lightness in her head.

"Annie?" a voice called from the darkness..

From where Sam stood, Annie could smell the alcohol. She could see his eyes, slightly un-focused, his hair and clothes unkempt. A long line of blood forming slowly at his exposed wrist. Annie froze

""Sam?" she called him, edging closer. "What are you doing? What have you done?" she kept the panic from out of her voice as to not frighten him. He looked in a bad state, as though he was not in right mind.

"I just wanted.." he said, quite calmly and with an ever so slight slur. "I just wanted to test myself" he finished.

Off Annie's confused look he continued "I wanted to see how much I could bleed. How much blood I could imagine comin' out of me. I wanted to see if I could feel it"

Annie stepped closer. "And…?" she prompted, her eyes fixated on the blood freely flowing down from the wound.

He laughed a little. It was unnerving. Too high pitched.

"I can feel it. At least I think I can"

Annie was silent. She took another small step forward nervously. Sam didn't back off. In fact he stepped towards her slightly and let her pick up his limp and bleeding hand to examine it.

"You haven't nicked the vein then" she breathed a sigh of relief.

Sam shook his head slowly. He looked like he was going to say something, but changed his mind and just shook his head again.

Finally he found his words.

"I'm fine. I don't need any help" he said. The words were chilling.

She nodded in reply, as if in agreement.

"Shall we go back inside now?" she asked calmly.

He looked a little lost in thought, still fixated on the sight of his arm. He nodded slowly then it sped up. "Yep.. yep lets go… its cold"

--

--

"I wasn't going to do it Annie" Sam whispered to her, as he fumbled with his keys at his door.

Annie leaned against the wall and sighed. "Of course not Sam. You wouldn't do that," she assured him, but bit her inner lip slightly as she said it.

He seemed to have trouble remembering what key fit in to the door. It was too much for Annie, she was impatient to get inside and leave him, and she felt terribly guilty about feeling that way. But there was no denying it she was dying to somehow get out of this conversation. She was still reeling in the shock that she just witnessed Sam intending to seriously hurt himself.

"You believe me right?" he asked, sensing her hesitation.

Annie stared into his desperate green eyes. She wanted to believe him. She really did. Pushing her doubt aside she flashed him a brilliant smile. "Are you gonna let me in or what?" she teased playfully grabbing the keys off him.

His face sat serious for another second before falling into a drunken grin. Annie found the right key almost immediately and pushed the door open.

A few moments later she had his arm wrapped up tight in a bandage from an old first aid kit she found under his sink. She had dabbed at it with antiseptic cream and she admitted that her heart melted at the sight of a grown DI wincing and moaning like a little boy at the sting. Annie chuckled to herself as she placed him into his bed, swinging his legs over into the centre. She had wagered he would be asleep with in minutes, and she wasn't wrong. As she was cleaning his blood off his knife into the sink she could hear his breathing become slow and even. She considered the knife for a moment before ultimately deciding it wasn't safe here. She pocketed the knife in her gown, then promptly kissed him lightly on the forehead and shut the door behind her.


	3. The body

**Chapter 3: The body**

"Oy Sam wait up!" Annie called.

It was still dark. They had been called early to the station because of a body that had been found in a dumpster right near the precinct. Annie ran to Sam as gracefully as she could in her WPC standard heels. She tripped over a tin of pastels on the ground a man was beginning to draw the outlines of massive picture that resembled a sunset on the sidewalk, just outside the police building. Embarrassed, she apologised profusely to the man, who gave her a wink and a sleazy smile.

Sam shot a look at the man who recoiled slightly before returning to his sketch.

"Hey Annie" he said quietly with a small smile. Annie could tell he wasn't quite looking at her in the eye. A blush was forming slightly on his pale cheeks.

Annie realised he was probably not wanting to discuss the events that had taken place the night before so she decided to play along. Her concerns for his safety outweighed ignoring what she had witnessed last night, but she decided to wait until Sam was ready to bring the subject up first.

"Did Gene tell you any reason why we were comin' in so early then?" she asked him.

It was just past 5am and that was evident on Sam's face. His eyes were slightly bloodshot from the booze from last night and he walked with a slight drag in his step. Annie on the other hand, was completely alert. She had been thrilled that Gene had called her so early and wanted her to come down to the station to help out.

Sam was shaking his head. "He told me nuthin' really. A body found dumped near the station, Just to get down here as soon as I could"

There was an awkward silence that was deafening to Annie's ears. She sighed loudly hoping to break it but Sam didn't even acknowledge it. Instead, they walked quickly and silently into the station together but miles apart.

--

--

--

A few moments later, Gene, Sam, Ray, Annie and Chris were standing outside the back of the Police Headquarters.

Chris was chomping down on a packet of crisps loudly. He nudged Sam with his elbow and grinned. "This is the shortest distance we've ever had to walk to a crime scene ay boss?"

Sam raised his eyebrow and nodded.

The body was directly behind the police headquarters, near an exit the cafeteria staff used to put the garbage out or sneak a fag. Sam and Gene both leaned over the body. She was a young woman perhaps about early 20's. Her blonde hair was matted with dirt and rain from this morning. Her eyes were blank and lifeless staring straight ahead while droplets of rain from her eyelashes splashed against her cheek like tears. "She had been found this morning by a WPC who went out to take the trash to the dumpsters" Annie said looking at a note pad she had been furiously scribing on the last 10 minutes.

"Single gun shot wound to the head" said Ray, lighting up a cigarette. "No evidence of sexual assault, ID on the body says Louise Smythe of Trentcher crescent" Ray handed Gene the young girls ID car, who passed it to Sam when he was finished. "Money was taken but left the cards"

"She was dragged back here" Sam noted. "Look at the dirt marks on her skirt"

Gene nodded in agreement. "Poor bird. Look at the purple bruises on her neck. Strangled then ay?" he pointed out.

"Chris I want you to search through that dumpster. Look for a weapon, he may have ditched the gun, look for a blood on clothing he may have ditched his shirt"

Chris' face fell and he looked like he was going to start whingeing. Gene shot him a look and he grinned sheepishly.

"Right then. Let's find her parents" Gene said grimly.

--

--

--

The sky was dark already by the time Sam began to walk home. It was a chilly night, he pulled his leather jacket closer to his chest and shivered slightly. The day mostly consisted of comforting the parents of Louise and questioning her friends and family. Not much had shed any light on her attacker. She was well renowned in her community as being studious, who majored in politics. She kept out of trouble, stayed off drugs and was currently single. The real results would have to come from the coroner's examination of the body tomorrow because the coroner was "simply swamped at the moment and couldn't find a free moment to perform an examination today" Still, it did mean Sam could have an early night which was just what he needed. His eyes were drooping at the thought of his bed.

"Can I join you?" a voice called behind him

Sam's heart seemed to leap from his chest. It was Annie. "What?" he sputtered.

"Can I come with you? Walk together?" Annie looked at him confused. "I'm staying at Neil's tonight" she added off Sam's still bewildered look. Her cheeks started to turn a light shade of pink.

"Oh… yeah of course" he said realising exactly what she said. " I thought…never mind."


	4. Betrayl

**Chapter 4: The betrayal**

Half an hour later, Sam and Annie were at their doors. Sam felt that he had to say something to break the tension between them. Finally after much deliberation and walking as slowly as he could towards up the stairs leading to their rooms he blurted out.

"I just wanted to thank you"

Annie looked at him quizzically which turned into a smile. Sam wished she wouldn't, it made his head feel all light and confused.

"You know, for last night" he continued. His voice became steady. "And the fact that you've always humoured me. If I start to ramble on about things that may seem… well a little crazy. You've always supported me you know?" he said softly.

The air felt incredibly tense. It was almost vibrating around them, as if there was this enormous amount of pressure building. It was uncomfortable but somehow Sam felt he needed to keep talking.

"I want you to know, that I'm fine. Last night, it was a moment of drunken insanity really" he forced a laugh. "I was a bit out of it really. But I'm fine. I want you to know that. I don't need any help" he stressed the last sentence, echoing his words from last night which sent a shiver down Annie's spine.

"It's just that.. Well, I feel like I can trust you that's all" he finished with a small smile playing on his lips.

Annie looked slightly uneasy for a split second as he said this. He towards her and lifted her hand into his. He clasped it gently. "Thank you" he said

Annie looked sheepishly at him, his green eyes darted nervously across his features. _She looks uncomfortable. We are getting close, perhaps too close?_ he thought.

He knew Annie was seeing someone knew, and had been for perhaps a while now. The thought of it made his chest feel a little fluttery. He knew that he harboured some kind of feelings for Annie, but how deep they ran he was not sure. Sam figured that he latched onto her so, because she seemed to empathise with him, even though it was clear she didn't understand his peculiar situation and probably never would.

''Am I interrupting?" piped a voice

Annie pulled her hand away so fast as though it had been burned. Sam faked a smile and turned. Neil had arrived, clutching a briefcase in one hand and his house keys in the other.

"Not at all Neil" he said

"Ah Sam. I have something for you" Neil said patting down his jacket before puling out a small piece of cardboard. "Here's my card. I wanted to find you to tell you I think I can help you"

"Help me with what exactly?" Sam asked staring confused at the card Neil had handed to him. It had Neil's companies logo looking rather smug on the front with his name and contact details in bold. The card was stained with red dust, which got on Sam's fingers and he wiped them on the corner of his doorframe.

"With what you're going through. About last night" Neil frowned as if it were obvious.

Sam felt as if he had been punched in the stomach.

Annie looked immediately at Sam shocked, guilt flooding into her eyes but he refused to look at her. He opened his mouth to reply but closed it. Neil took advantage of that moment to continue.

He leaned forward "That wasn't you're first attempt remember? The roof that time.." his voice trailed off.

"I remember" Sam said narrowing his eyes. "I remember you tricked me into believing that I had to jump off that roof"

"I never said anything like that Sam" Neil said looking at Annie. "I may have tricked you, but I never told you to jump. You came to that conclusion"

"We understand that the accident may have had some kind of lasting effect on you, something we didn't foresee" He continued. "I want you to come by my office. We can run a few tests, see what exactly is giving you these.. delusions"

''I don't need help thanks" Sam answered coolly. The conversation took a sharp turn to awkwardness. Sam's voice was void of any lightness.

"I know but…"

"I..don't.. need.. any.. help. Do I have to spell it out to you?" spat Sam.

"I hear that you are also having trouble sleeping" Neil continued although now, everyone at the table wished he would stop.

Sam raised his eyebrow. "Yeah. So? You gonna read me a bed time story Neil?"

Neil chuckled. "I was going to prescribe you some Anthornade. It's a mild sleeping pill"

Sam suddenly perked up slightly. "Yeah. Actually that would be very helpful. thanks"

Neil looked uncertain whether Sam was using sarcasm, but decided to take the risk. He gave Sam a small appreciative grin, gave a quick kiss to Annie's still slightly agape cheek before opening the door behind them and leaving their sight.

Now it was awkward.

"Sam.. I…"

"You don't have to say anything" Sam interrupted his voice steady but emotionless. He stared fixated on a spot on the wall and did not lift his eyes to meet hers. "You were obviously scared last night by what happened. Naturally"

Annie looked down at her hands, which were shaking with nerves. He looked like he had so much anger behind his eyes. Annie suddenly felt confronted and frightened, something she had never felt around him before

He turned around and faced his door "I don't expect you to be a beacon of trust about my "psychological" problems, given that you're dating a shrink" he pushed his key into his door lock and pushed it open. For a moment he stood in the doorway, unsure of how to leave it, before leaning in close towards her. "But I did want to believe it" And on that he walked away. A tear slid down her cheek.


	5. The casing of Louise Fletcher

**Chapter 5: The casing of Louise Fletcher**

"The body was found just behind the station, in a dumpster" asked the coroner, his eyes never straying from the TV screen. A horse race was about to begin.

"Well.. Yeah?" asked Sam.

The coroner smirked. "That explains the smell" he said wrinkling his nose in disgust.

The irony amused Sam. It perked his mood slightly.

It was the next morning. Gene, Sam and the coroner were gathered around the body of Louise. It looked ghastly translucent in the harsh lighting of the morgue. Every vein on her body was visible and popped out from under her pale white skin. The wound to her head had been clean, a side of her head shaved to get more access. She looked like an empty shell.

"The Bruises on the neck?" quizzed Sam. He gestured towards the dark purplish mark on her neck.

The doctor looked up from the tv monitor and blankly at Sam. "Ah yeah.. but there's not much trauma to the windpipe. I'd say he started to strangle her then gave up, shot her instead"

"That's a little odd" murmured Gene.

"What are you thinking?" asked Sam

"Well if he got a gun he probably woulda had it out to intimidate her. So then what? He put it down to strangle her, then changed his mind picked it back up took a couple of steps back and shot her?"

Sam nodded looking at the body, perplexed. "Or he did it before he dragged her into the alleyway I dunno" his voice trailer off.

"Call us if there are any new developments" Sam said to the coroner who responded with a murmur still glued to the TV.

"Jackass" muttered Gene under his breath. Sam couldn't help a smile.

"This case is going nowhere guv" said Sam sighing.

"Wait for it Sam. Don't be so impatient. The secrets will start comin out soon" Gene said. "It just takes a bit of time for people to see they can't keep em locked up inside them forever"

Sam looked at Gene curiously. "Let's just get out of here. I want to go over Chris' reports of the dumpster contents"

As they were driving back Sam couldn't help feeling a little supspicious of Gene's words. Had Annie said something? Sam immediatley felt guilty accusing her of telling Gene his secret. _Annie wouldn't, she's not like that_ Sam assured himself.

_Is this how it's going to be? _Sam thought. _Am I going to live in constant fear of being exposed as a complete suicidal nutter?_

But was he suicidal? Sam wasn't sure. He definatley had thought about it that night, but he was so intoxicated, he had a hard time seperating his thoughts.

He bit his lip nervously. The sleeping pills Neil had offered. Why exactly had Sam been so willing to take them?

_I don't know_ he admitted to himself.

_I just don't know.._

--


	6. Caught!

**Chapter 6: Caught**

"Sam?"

It was late, the case was still going nowhere and Annie was cautiously approaching Sam's who was immersed in paperwork. She stood next to his neat and organised desk. She was hesitant, she still felt horribly guilty about telling Neil about how Sam had tried to hurt himself again last night.

"Annie, I can't talk right now" he said not looking up from his desk

She sat down anyway, opposite him and idly played with a stapler on his desk. She snapped her long nail against the top which made a thwack sound. She continued to do this until he sighed, put down the papers he was reading and looked at her expectably.

"Well?" he prompted throwing his hands up in the air.

"I wanted to tell you about what happened last night. Why I told Neil," she said, her voice steady.

Sam put his face in his hands. "I don't have time for this" he said. He started to stand up and gather his papers when Annie put her hand on to his.

"Sam.. Please..You need help. Talk to me" Annie whispered.

He laughed at this. "Do you have any idea what can happen if any of this lot get a wind of what happened last night? I'll be demoted. Stripped of my rank. Declared unfit. I don't need help from anyone. Especially not here. My circumstances Annie, are very exceptional and therefore no one can try to help me understand them"

He grabbed his jacket from the coat rack and something fell from the pocket. It floated gently towards the ground. He picked it up. It was Neil's card.

"I especially don't want help from that prick" he spat out, looking at Neil's smug, dirty card.

"Where are you going?" she called tearfully.

He was about to reply when something came across his face. A moment of realisation perhaps, an epiphany. A small smile tugged at his lips.

He leaned forward on his table, grabbing a few papers from the coroner and scanning them with his eyes.

"What are you calling him for? What are you thinking?"

"I'm going to check out that body again that's what I'm going to do" he said.

"What is it? Have you got an idea then?"

He waved his hand at her as he walked out of the station calling behind him. "I can handle it myself I don't need help"

--

--

--

Sam breathed deep into the night air. Pulling his jacket down across his torso he stepped into the coroner's office. He was filled with a buzz, adrenaline pumping through his veins like he did when he found a new development in a deadlocked case. He was sure of it, he just wanted to confirm it with the coroner himself.

Sam walked around the room peering into doorways "Hello?" he called out_. There has to be someone here_ he thought. This drawer has been left open. A body was gone.

He moved it back and forth with his fingers for a moment thinking hard until a noise broke his train of thought.

It was a cry of pain, coming from the door leading to the back exit. Sam rushed, gun in hand to the source and found the coroner lying propped up against the wall, sporting a massive gash on his forehead which was leaking litres of blood onto the white floor.

"Hold on mate" Sam swallowed hard, looking a little green at the sight of the wound. There was bone showing Sam figured his skull was fractured. _Could be lethal_ he thought as returned to grab his radio in his back-pocket.

But the moaning had stopped. The coroner was dead.

Sam sighed. He cocked his gun and began to slowly search the place. He heard a sound outside, a door perhaps, a car door closing. Sure enough a van was parked right next to the back entrance of the morgue.

"Hey… HEY! What's going on here?" he asked. He ran up to the van. He stopped in shock when he realised what was inside the van's ajar doors.

A body, The body of Louise fletcher.

It happened too fast. A man had circled the van out of his view and was now unbeknownst to Sam directly behind him. He grabbed one of Sam's arms, and held it behind his back, while he madly threw out his legs in retaliation and desperation, trying to kick his attacker. The man threw back his hand in a forceful punch, which connected with the back of Sam's skull. Lights danced before his eyes as the pain took its time to be interpreted by his body. Another punch by the man did the job, as soon as it connected he immediately lapsed into unconsciousness his body falling limply supported by the man behind him.


	7. Annie get your gun

**Chapter 7: Annie get your gun**

Annie drummed her fingers impatiently on Gene's desk waiting for him to hang up the phone.

It was early the next morning. Annie had knocked on Sam's door for what seemed like hours on end getting more and more frantic by the second. After she was certain he was not home, he wasn't at the station, She had begged Neil to convince the super to open Sam's door. Finally, she had accepted the worst and called a disgruntled Gene, who apparently needed a better reason to head down to the station at 5am then the disappearance of his right hand man. He agreed to meet her in his office as soon as she could get down there.

A little surprised, Annie walked in to find Gene already comfortable leaning in his chair on the phone. He gestured at her to take a seat.

"Right.. Thanks… cheers" Gene hung up the phone with a grim expression on his face.

"The coroner also did not come home last night" he said gravely. "His wife didn't even realise he wasn't lying next to her. She fell asleep. She's gonna meet us down there in an hour to open the door for us. Are you sure he went there?"

Annie nodded. "Positive. He said he wanted to take another look at the body"

Gene sat back in his chair and lit a cigarette. "Wonder what made him go there again"

Annie shrugged "He did look like he may have had an idea but he didn't tell me" she didn't feel like going into why Sam had been so reclusive that day.

Gene apparently didn't want to know. "Ok. Well, 6am. That's an hour from now" he stood up from his chair.

"If he's hurt" Annie clutched his arm desperately. "If he's…" she couldn't finish her sentence her eyes were beginning to well up with tears.

"Annie, you know Sam. He keeps to himself, he doesn't like people interfering. He might be on his own somewhere. Left the morgue, had a few too many and is passed out on a park bench"

Annie nodded grudgingly. "Yeah. Maybe. He does keep to himself. That's definitely true" she said chuckling softly raising her eyebrows.

"Well let's go down there and scope out the place a bit"

--

--

--

It didn't look good. Annie started trembling immediately when she saw the first flickers of blood on the ground. She let out a small cry when the figure slumped against the wall came into her view. Pushing past Gene she ran up to the body her heart relaxing when she realised it wasn't Sam, but the body of the coroner blankly staring ahead.

Annie heard a shriek of terror behind her that she only could assume came from the coroner's wife who had let them into the office. Gene was supporting her, his large arms curled around her shoulder's whispering comforts into her ear before moving her out of the room.

She examined the scene her hands on her head. _So he's not here_ she thought. _Then where?_

There was more blood outside. A small amount next to some tire tracks. Next to the wall was a report she had seen Sam take with him. Her throat suddenly felt tight. She walked back to the tyre marks and examined them thoughtfully.

_Think Annie think!_ She commanded herself. _What was Sam doing here? What was it that brought him here?_

"The body's gone" Gene said. She jumped slightly. She hadn't heard him approaching.

"Someone came here to take it back. Ran into Sam and the coroner" Annie put together.

"Can you come in here for a moment? I want you to see something"

She followed Gene back into the main room where he bent down over the body of the coroner.

"There's defence cuts and scratches on his hands" Gene showed her lifting the lifeless hand of the coroner. "But this here. What do you make of it?"

The coroner's hands were stained with yellow in places. Annie looked on confused for a second.

"Smoker?"

Gene shook his head.

Suddenly Annie's face twitched slightly. A memory was coming back to her. Of a card.

Gene could practically hear the gears in her head twirling.

"What was that he had? Pastels?" she muttered to herself.

Gene looked at her. "Well come on then" he bellowed. "Elaborate you skirt! Tell me what you're thinkin"

"Well yesterday I bumped into this man painting this picture on the sidewalk at around 6am. Really early.. and really dark" she frowned. "I didn't even think it odd that he would have a hard time seeing what he was drawing. He had a lot of art supplies on him. Mostly pastels. It was a new picture too, Like he had just started it"

Gene considered this

"Ok then. You think the yellows from his attackers hands coz he's a sidewalk artist?" Gene said not following where Annie was going.

"Yesterday, Sam had his epiphany when he held one of Neil's business cards which had pastel dust on it" she said excitedly. "Neil must have offered the artist a card and he gave it back but left dust on it "

" You think that Sam figured out a connection between the artist and Louise when he saw the pastel dust on the card….?

"Well think about it. It's a little strange. That's an early time to start for an arty fellow. Why do you think he would wanna draw it here? Why so early? Maybe he's keeping an eye on the place. Watching to see what we uncover"

"The bruises" Gene looked in horror at Annie. "The bruises on the dead birds neck. They weren't bruises. Coroner said there wasn't barely any damage to the throat area. It was purple chalk. Sam must have figured it out."

"On her neck? He might have checked her pulse after he killed her. Didn't realise he had it on his hands, it's pretty dark back there." Annie continued.

Gene looked thoughtfully at Annie. "You could be right there Glenda" he praised.

--


	8. Life imitates art

**Chapter 8: Art imitates life**

Sam's eyes flickered. His consciousness was returning and therefore pain was being recognised by his body again. His head started to throb, his left arm was aching. There was a blinding light in his eyes, a smell of oil and canvas. He tried to move his arms and feet, but realised they were bound tightly together with rope.

Finally he managed o keep his eyes open for long enough to realise he was in some sort of studio, a large room with a high ceiling. He was lying on a mattress in the corner, next to old newspaper food wrappers and candles. Sam guessed that this is where his attacker was squatting.

A figure entered the end of the room. He was tall, broad shouldered man with a crooked grin. Long brown hair was tied behind his back. He wore no shoes and moved like a dancer. He would be welcomed as a normal looking person into society if it wasn't for his eyes, which were too wide and alert. Too much blinking, too much surveying. Sam felt a chill behind his neck.

"What am I here for then?" Sam called out weakly to the man.

The artist smiled. He walked up to an easel in the corner of the room, which a large blank canvas sat perched upon.

"You're my next work of art" he spoke as if it were obvious.

"That girl Louise Fletcher? She was… what a piece of art to you?" Sam prompted.

"She was a masterpiece" he said looking a bit into the distance as if he were picturing her. "It was kind of a spur of the moment piece. Violence that is not pre meditated that is instant that is unexpected. A social commentary, her body will be an iconic image of our degrading society and the demise of culture"

Sam felt nauseous and he thought maybe it had nothing to do with his concussion.

"And the coroner?" he asked.

The artist shrugged. "I went to get my work back and he got in the way"

Sam looked at him in anger "You are sick. All her body is going to do is destroy the lives of her family and friends who will find it hard to justify her brutal murder for the sake of art."

The artist looked coolly at Sam. He did not respond, rather idly played with the corner of a blank canvas on the easel.

"You, Mister Tyler are going to be my next great piece" he said so softly Sam had to lean forward.

Sam froze. "What exactly do you have planned for me?" he asked his voice breaking slightly.

The artist was still thoughtfully gazing at the canvas as if imagining what possibilities it could harvest.

"You are a man with a heart that is on his sleeve. A man that is protective of those who put it there. You know of whom I speak?"

Sam shifted uncomfortably. "Yes. Annie and me. You saw us together that morning"

The artist's eyes gleamed. "I saw you but you were not together" he laughed. "I saw the man that is with her, he gave me his business card which I graciously declined. I don't need any help you see…"

These words resonated with Sam.

"She can be yours. I've seen more into your hearts in the last 2 days around that police building than any one will ever see. I can see you two. I can see your hearts longing for each other"

Sam did not like where this conversation was going. His hands were clenched at his sides.

"Why do you not give her your heart? Why do you keep your feelings bottled. A coward? No…" He turned on his heel away from the canvas.

"You just like to torture your self." He paced the floor. "You like to hurt yourself don't you? You like to keep your heart in pain. You like to make it feel unloved. You know that Annie returns feelings for you. You know that you are a better man than that psychologist man that she will leave him in a second if that possibility ever comes to light. So why are you denying your heart what it yearns for above everything?"

The question lingered in the air. He didn't wait for an answer.

"You Mr Tyler, will be my most daring piece yet. I will show you how you are treating your heart. I will show you the dagger that splits through its veins that makes the blood course down like a flood. I will show you it on your sleeve"

He picked up something dark from the ground. Sam let out a cry when he realised it was a pile of long, sharp knives. He walked over to Sam, his eyes flashing maniacally. He threw back his booted foot which connected to the side of Sam's skull. Sam cried out in pain and clinged to what remaining consciousness he had. The artist pulled off Sam's bindings from his wrists and legs. Sam could barely protest when the artists dragged him by the cuff of his jacket over the canvas on the ground. He felt weak and useless like a rag doll.

The artist put the blank canvas on the floor and carefully lined up Sam's body on the canvas. To Sam's protesting cries, the artist drew a particular long blade from his collection of knifes from his overalls and threw back his hand and plunged the knife in.


	9. The heart of Sam Tyler

**Chapter 9: The Heart of Sam Tyler**

"Any luck you two?" Gene asked.

Chris, Annie and Gene were standing around the half-finished portrait of the sunset. Time was running out. The first 24 hours were crucial in finding a missing person, they all knew that.

"No one around here knew him well at all" said Chris. "Must have laid low"

Gene cursed under his breath. "Well, we're gonna have to stake out this place until he comes back to finish the picture"

"And if he doesn't?" Annie asked angrily.

Gene didn't answer. He looked like he was boiling up inside but was keeping a tight lid on it.

"What about the picture Guv?"

Gene turned to face Chris who was staring at the sunset picture chalked on the ground.

"Yes Chris it's very nice ain't it" Gene said sarcastically.

"No I mean, it's not finished, but you can see the outline of buildings he was drawing can't ya?"

Gene bent down lower to the ground and examined the picture.

"That there" Chris said pointing at the vague outline of a small building. "That's this place in it? That's the station. You can see the stairs, the carpark"

Gene nodded. "You think this is what he can see from where he lives"

"Which would put him…" Annie stared at the picture with intent before spinning around to face a large apartment building. "There.."

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Sam screamed in terror, his eyes squeezed shut, the knife impending. The studio walls echoing his sounds of fear along the blank space making it sound like a hundred cries of pain. He waited for the intense agony of pain to overcome him. When it didn't come, he opened his eyes. To Sam's astonishment, the artist had struck the area next to Sam, pinning his jacket in several positions to the canvas. The artist was pinning Sam to the canvas by his jacket.

"Please!" Sam begged. "You can stop this. You can walk away from this"

The artist frowned. "Now why would I want to do that?" he asked confused. He leaned over so his face was right next to Sam before continuing.

"You might be able to help me actually. I'm not good with weapons you see. Hmm how do I phrase this…" he pondered for a second. "What kind of tool could I use to take the heart out of your body without doing the most damage to it?" he posed the question nonchalantly as if he were asking Sam how he took his tea.

Sam's heart leapt into overdrive. He struggled to get his hands free from the knives and the artist responded with a hard slap to the face. Wincing in pain, Sam blinked as blood from his head wound fell down his cheek. The artists tsked

"Now we can't have that can we? Looks like I'm gonna need to clean you up" He looked around the room searching for something to wipe the blood with before deciding it probably wasn't there. "Back in a mo" he said. "I'm just going to the lobby to get some tissues don't go anywhere"

Sam's eyes slightly widened. This was his opportunity. As soon as the artist was out of sight, he began to pull and writhe, trying to get his jacket off. The effort cost him dearly and soon he was starting to fade away into calming blackness.

When he awoke, someone was mopping his brow with cool cold water.

"Annie" he murmured. He slowly opened his eyes a dreamy expression on his face.

A knife was coming towards his chest at incredible speed. Sam did not allow his brain to register it, or to begin to acknowledge his appending inevitable demise. He didn't have time to reminis his life, his last thoughts lingered on the pretty girl with the curly brown hair.

The artist who was so caught up in the moment he didn't see the people enter behind him

He took 2 shots by Gene to the chest. His eyes blankly staring at his chest where exit wounds were forming. His hands lightly grazing the blood beginning to flow from the wound. The artist smiled at Sam, dazed before falling into a heap on the ground.

Annie rushed towards Sam, While Gene and Chris leaned over the body of the artist to check his pulse.

"Are you ok? Sam?" Annie asked desperately pulling at the knives.

Sam nodded. Then had a thought. "No. No I'm not Annie. And I haven't been alright for a long time" he admitted.

Annie looked at him, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Come on" said Gene interrupting their moment. "Let's get you out of here then"

"Will you join me for dinner tomorrow night Annie?" Sam asked her as she released him from his jacket. She helped him sit up which made his head spin slightly.

Annie looked surprised at the offer. Her face turned into a slow grin and she nodded fast "Of course Sam" she accepted.


	10. Red sky in the night

**Chapter 10: Red sky in the night.. **

Sam exited the hospital sporting a large white bandage across the side of his head. He had been cleared of any serious damage, but was told he needed to spend the night for observation. Sam happily obliged citing the reason as his spine could only take so much damage from the thing he called a bed back at home.

"Sam! Sam wait!!"

Sam turned to see Neil running towards him. He rolled his eyes slightly. Sam mentally prepared himself for a confrontation. _Obviously his heard about the dinner tonight and he's not happy _Sam thought.

"I got you the pills you wanted. The sleeping pills? Remember?" He said panting heavily.

Sam smiled and relaxed. "I don't want them Neil. Thanks mate, but I don't really need them"

Neil looked confused. "You're sleeping ok now?"

Sam laughed. "Actually I was going to use them to kill myself" he said honestly. "But thanks anyway" he said. He gave Neil a quick wave before leaving him mouth agape in the street.

"Sam! Wait! You need to stop and listen to me. I can help you, you can talk to me!"

"I've got someone to talk to actually Neil. Speaking of which, what flowers does Annie like? I'm gonna buy her a bunch for when we go out tonight" he grinned like a Cheshire cat at Neil's face which was contorting into anger.

"You are insane you prick" spat Neil. "You need help"

"I may need help Neil, but let me tell you, I don't need it from people like you" Sam smiled broadly and began to walk home stepping on the half-completed picture of the sunset on the sidewalk.


End file.
